


Do You Ever Just Laugh at that One Frog Meme?

by imnotaprodigy



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: A major stretch to hit the prompt really, Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Drinking, Hunk is great, Hurt/Comfort, Keith is really out of character yIKES, Langst, M/M, Pining, hunk is good, its angst dudes, nothing to do with memes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-25
Updated: 2017-07-25
Packaged: 2018-12-06 15:57:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11603943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imnotaprodigy/pseuds/imnotaprodigy
Summary: The lack of stimulation was killing Lance, though Keith seemed perfectly fine just idly slurping his soda. Lance’s foot was tapping and his heart was beginning to race, and he could hear himself breathing, even though he couldn't hear himself think. He needed something, anything, to distract him because Hunk wasn’t back yet and he’s starting to think maybe he couldn't handle this and Keith was the last person he needed seeing one of his attacks. Everything was just so overwhelming, so maybe if he could just-“Do you ever just laugh at that one frog meme?”





	Do You Ever Just Laugh at that One Frog Meme?

Team Voltron had been on planet Syevna for about a week when Hunk made a discovery. Although underage drinking had been illegal on Earth, Syevna had no legal age requirements, so naturally, Lance and Hunk decided to get drunk. Really, really drunk.

“Hey, Lance, buddy?” Hunk asked, clutching his stomach, “I don’t think this is, uh, working with my stomach here.”

“Bathroom, my dude, run.”

Hunk ran indeed. Lance really hopes he made it in time because if not a hung over and messy Hunk would not be fun in the morning. Hunk never really handled his liquor well (oh please, just because it's illegal doesn’t me you shouldn’t). Lance eventually realized he’s alone at this relatively sleazy Syevnan bar, with some sort of what he hoped was alien beer in his hand and lots of anxiety. Usually, he and Hunk would stick together so if Lance started to panic, Hunk could remove him from the situation, but Hunk wasn’t here. It was just Lance. It always ended up with just Lance.

He gripped his cup and chugged the rest of the drink. Lance winced and set the cup down, resting his head in his hands. He liked to believe he was a fundamentally good guy, and that he just made mistakes. A lot of mistakes. But that's okay, right? Everyone does, don’t they? He’d focused on his breathing and he was pretty sure he’d make it out of this one fine. He would have gotten up and found Hunk, but he was worried about his legs giving way underneath him, plus there was a huge crowd in front of what he thought was probably the bathroom sign. Things were getting a bit louder, but he could handle it, though there was a little buzz in his head that was starting to get kind of annoying, but still. He’s totally fine, he swears.

“Lance?”

The man in question turned his head to see a familiar face emerging from the crowd. Keith, with his dumb mullet and his ridiculous jacket that probably didn't even keep him warm. The jacket he was wearing even though it was probably over sixty degrees, maybe seventy in the bar. The jacket that Lance totally didn’t want to have wrapped around his shoulders, with Keith’s hand in his, because why would he? Why would he ever want their lips locked, hands in that stupid fucking hair, on his waist and his neck?

Lance didn't get to answer that. Keith sat on the bar stool next to him, like that was something he could just do, so easily. Keith ordered some of what he assumed to be the local space soda. He sipped it through a straw. Through a straw. What kind of man does that?

Keith didn’t seem to care. Actually, he was far more engaged in a conversation with someone. Shit, wait, what was he saying?

“… were just talking and he wasn’t really sure where you guys went, and I thought maybe you wanted some food so I came here to look for you. Where, uh, is Hunk?”

Lance looked at him for a second, before he shook himself out of his daze and said, “Bathroom. Stomach problems.”

Keith nodded understandingly, “Alright.”

Lance shot him a cheesy grin and then turned and grimaced over his shoulder. Smooth McClain, god. Keith tapped him, “Lance? Hey, dude?”

He turned back around to meet Keith’s furrowed brow and the question Lance was expecting, “Are you okay?”

Lance nodded, because yeah he really was okay. A little buzzed and a bit anxious but still okay. Keith gave him that smile, the one he had after they'd defeated Sendak, the one that made Lance question everything, made him question how the universe could ever create something, someone so good. Keith clapped him on the back, “That’s good. What did you have to eat?”

Lance jolted and gave him a quizzical look, “Nothing?”

“What do you mean nothing, you’re in a restaurant?”

“I mean, yeah, but I didn’t come here to eat.”

“Then why are you guys even here?”

“Keith, I’m drinking.”

Keith threw his hands up, “You can drink anywhere.”

“Well, yeah, I guess, but I’m drinking alcohol, dude, what the fuck?”

Keith gave him a look, “You’re serious?”

“We’re literally at a bar.”

Lance thought Keith was great, he really did, but god, the simplest things could fly over his head sometimes. Keith seemed to regain his composure and simply stated, “I didn’t know you drink.”

“Not much, but I do. You?” The bartender signaled Lance, and he nodded to say, yes, he did want another.

“Not really, I have that alcohol flush thing.” He rolled his eyes, “Shiro doesn’t though, so the rest of you can get hammered but whatever, I’ll be the designated… pilot, I guess.”

“Dude that fucking sucks, I’m so sorry.”

“No, it’s funny. I mean look at you.”

The volume of the bar started to turn up a little, and Lance was now aware of his left leg bouncing up and down on the bar stool. Keith corrected himself, “I mean not like your face, you look good. And by good, I mean normal which is fine. But I’m saying honestly you’re not the best example here, but Shiro is a hilarious drunk it's ridiculous.”

Keith was blushing. Lance might have been too, he wasn't really sure. Either way, Lance took a sip of his intergalactic Samuel Adams and winked, “I know I look fine Keith, I always do.”

Keith cocked a brow, “Sure you do.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes. The lack of stimulation was killing Lance, though Keith seemed perfectly fine just idly slurping his soda. Lance’s foot was tapping and his heart was beginning to race, and he could hear himself breathing, even though he couldn't hear himself think. He needed something, anything, to distract him because Hunk wasn’t back yet and he’s starting to think maybe he couldn't handle this and Keith was the last person he needed seeing one of his attacks. Everything was just so overwhelming, so maybe if he could just-

“Do you ever just laugh at that one frog meme?”

Lance mentally slapped himself for that. I mean, it worked and Keith was finally saying something, but his standards for himself were higher than that. He closed his eyes and tried to tune into Keith’s voice, focus on it because it was safe, and familiar and welcoming, even if it’s saying some bullshit about not liking any of the frog memes.

“-really don’t like Pepe. Wait… no, yeah, I don’t like Pepe. What about you? Woah, okay.”

Lance looked up. What was going on? Keith was looking at him with those beautiful goddamn eyes. Lance mentally checked himself, and no, he wasn’t bleeding, which he assumed was a plus, he didn't smell, so maybe he was just making a weird face? Wait, fuck, he’s crying. It wasn’t heavy, only a couple of tears, but it was enough to be noticed, and he internally scolded himself. “Ah, woah, sorry, I’m fine. I just…”

Need to leave. Can’t handle this. Can’t handle you. Need food. Need help. Need someone.

“I’m tired is all.”

Keith gave him a concerned look, and asked, “Do you want to leave? I can grab Hunk and the three of us can head-“

“No!” Lance shouted. A couple of aliens turned and shook their heads, which did nothing to calm Lance. He winced and corrected himself, “No. I, uh, I want you here.”

“Are you sure? Lance, you don’t even like me.” Keith’s brow was cocked and Lance could feel this pressure in his chest that was building and he blurted out the first thing that comes to mind.

“I do.”

Maybe he'd had too much to drink. Maybe he was tired and overwhelmed and maybe all he needed was some way to de-stress. Maybe telling the truth was what he needed.

“I do like you Keith, a lot.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“I am. I’m drunk, but I’m also serious Hunk’ll tell you, I think you’re pretty great.” Lance felt the warmth rise into his cheeks and Keith smiled that gorgeous smile again.

“For what it's worth, I think you’re pretty great too.”

Lance felt something in his chest, he couldn’t tell whether it was a wave of relief or a burst of ecstasy, but either way, he wasn’t sure the feeling was what he needed. The way Keith looked at him was painful, and he couldn’t tell whether it was good or bad. He wasn't sure of anything.

“Keith, I think, um…” Lance started. He was choking up and he couldn't tell why. He was trying to breathe and get his thoughts back in order and it was working for a second, but then everything exploded and he had to rearrange every piece of his brain back together. His hand tensed, and his grip on the glass in his hand tightened, and he could see it starting to shake, so he tried to put it back on the table as softly as possible. Lance couldn’t think, the bar was getting louder and turning into white noise. He looked up at the man next to him, and Keith raised his hand to Lance’s cheek. His heart raced and his breathing was heavy, things were moving so fast but so slow at the same time. He was terrified. He wanted to pull away but part of him needed, hell, craved to relax into Keith’s arms. He wanted the nuzzle into Keith’s touch, lean in and let himself go for once. So finally, he did.

Lance let his eyes shut as Keith tried to wipe the tears from his eyes. Keith pulled him in and Lance pursed his lips, finally prepared for what he’d waited months to do. All those looks they’d shared, and bonding moments, and every instance that had Lance yearning for more.

And then his chin hit Keith’s shoulder. Keith was rubbing his back and hugging him. Hugging. Everything had amounted to nothing and that nothingness hurt. He leaned his head into Keith’s shoulder and cried.

Lance lost track of time and space in that moment. He let everything out, all of his hopes, and regrets, and feelings he’d bottled up for so long. And Keith was there, rubbing his back, reminding him there was support even if he couldn’t see it.

“Lance?”

It was Hunk. He’d come back from the bathroom. Lance made a little groan of acknowledgment and Hunk smiled. “Hey, buddy, it’ll be alright. I talked to the bartender and he’s gonna let us go out through the back, okay?”

Lance sat up and rubbed his eyes, tears still flowing, but slower. “Can we bring Keith?”

“Yes, we can bring Keith. Come on man, we’ll help you out.”

Hunk carried Lance bridal-style around the back of the bar, giving the bartender a thankful nod. Keith paid for their drinks and followed them out.

When they were back at the castle ship, Hunk dropped Lance off in his room and put on one of Lance’s favorite movies. Some Disney one with a few too many songs for Keith’s taste, but Lance seemed to be calming down. Keith turned to leave, but Lance stopped him, “Wait.”

Keith looked back at him, tear-stained cheeks and messy hair, “What is it?”

“Thank you.”

Hunk slunk out of the room to grab some food goo for Lance. Keith smiled, “Of course. What are friends for?”

“Keith?”

“Yeah, Lance?”

“Can we cuddle?”

Keith’s cheeks burned red. He stammered, “Uh, I guess? Will it help your anxiety?”

Lance nodded. Keith climbed onto Lance's bed and let him rest his head on his chest. He stroked his hand’s through coffee-brown hair and did everything he could to relax. Lance closed his eyes and breathed, his breath finally coming back to a normal pace. He was tired, exhausted even. Nothing felt right but nothing felt wrong either. All he really knew was that Keith was warm and safe and there. And so Lance let his guard down completely, relaxed completely, in a way he had only ever done with Hunk before. He lost all self-control, and it was finally okay.

“Mm Keith?”

“Yeah?”

“I like you a lot.”

“I like you a lot too, Lance.”

Lance smiled and leaned his head up to look into Keith’s eyes. He puckered his lips and leaned in. And finally, when their lips united at long last, he felt whole again.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey y'all, it's Reyna.
> 
> I represented Lance's anxiety in the closest way I could to my own, so I'm sorry if this seems a little out of character for you. I would rather portray the anxiety in the most accurate way that I could without bombing the narrative. Anyway, this is the first in a series of one shot prompts I was starting, so more should come out soon enough. It might not all be Klance but it'll all be Voltron for sure. Anyway, hit me up with those constructive comments dudes I appreciate it loads. Also if tumblr is your thing my url is @imnotaprodigy on there as well. Thanks bois, and have a nice day.


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